Aid groups advised to 'shut the f--- up' on abortion

Though abortion is legal in Canada, the Harper government announced they will no longer support abortion for any part of its foreign aid policy on maternal health.

This doesn't affect Canadians. It means they won't be supporting it abroad with their foreign aid initiatives.

My personal opinion is that abortion should be an absolute last resort vs a casual 'whoops we forgot a condom', but there are some situations where I can understand why someone would want to go that route. I don't know how much of an issue this is internationally where Canada is providing aid, but I imagine given how women are treated in other parts of the world their reasons for wanting an abortion may be completely different than ours.

4 Replies

I'm not pro-abortion, but I do recognize the times when it might be needed. I'm trying to concentrate on the actual issue - removing this aid from 3rd world countries - but what is really shocking me is the placating attitude Senator Ruth is trying to promote. Don't create a fuss over this now because you'll make Harper pissed enough to open up the abortion debate for Canadians out of spite?? I definitely don't think abortion is a birth control method, however I don't like being told to not create a fuss because we'll piss off our elected seat-holders into doing something we won't like..what!?!? Is that a threat? I thought we were a democratic country, when did that change and why haven't we been told? And on what else will this sort of attitude touch on next?

It's not about being pro or anti abortion........... on May 07, 2010 @ 02:34 pm

I'm not pro or anti-abortion, I strongly believe that there are cases in which it should and shouldn't be done and that each individual woman has got to make her own decision, but cutting off aid in the area of abortion in other countries is ignorant and short sighted. I've lived overseas for a long time and I can tell you that in a lot of countries, it's not just a matter of WHOOPS we forgot the condom. There is social stigma attached to using condoms, there is the issue of availability, there are so many issues. There is also the issue of rape being very common in other countries as a way of controlling women. And I can promise you, there ain't a rapist overseas that's going to be thinking of slapping on a condom. And then there are the husbands and boyfriends who flat out REFUSE to use condoms. And so many many other issues. There is also the fact that most countries I know of that need aid do NOT have government supported health care. Which means women have to pay for birth control themselves, as well as their doctors visits. When you're having to make the decision between buying rice to feed your kids that day or going to the doctor and getting birth control pills, an IUD, whatever, the choice for those women is pretty clear. The kids eat. In situations like that, it's impossible to make decisions which have far reaching effects. Decisions have to be made for the NOW. And then there is also the issue of substandard condoms and medications, not to mention FAKE medication, where fake medications (like birth control pills and many other pharmaceuticals) and faulty condoms are sold all the time. Quality control is NOT the same the world over. So I think the Harper government needs a big slap across the face when it comes to this. If somebody like me knows these issues exist, they damn well know these issues exist. The only thing that will come of this is more illegal, dangerous abortions, more children having their own children, more children being born of rape, more children being born of violence and the perpetuation of yet more poverty around the world. For which they're willing to give aid for. How ass-backwards is that?? Why not help stop it in its tracks??

Wow, thanks for your insight, satojoko. That's what I was alluding to about it being quite different in other parts of the world vs. the reasons someone living here may have. In situations like that where women have so little say over their own lives and bodies it is surprising that the government would decide not to make that option available.

our government makes me extremely angry when they KNOW exactly what the situation is in these countries, yet tries to cut funds for exactly the things they need.

The thing is, what are the women in those countries going to do? Protest? Demand equality? They don't live in world that encompasses thos concepts. They just have to swallow whatever is tossed at them, and are grateful for every little bone our government, or any government, throws at them.

I'm quite disgusted. If this was happening in Canada, they wouldn't get away with it. Not a chance. And they know it. So they try and pill this crap overseas. It doesn't surprise me, really. Canadian immigration even takes payoffs for visas overseas, and are extremely racist, so this is just another piece of crap to add to their pile. Our government has very dirty hands, to say the least.